By: Erika Phillips
Copyright © 2020 Erika Phillips
All rights reserved
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
Cover By: Rebecacovers
PART 1
Chapter One
Jazmine could feel the heat rise from the city streets. She darted into a dark alley in the French Quarter of New Orleans to find a place to hide. This was the fourth city she had been in over the last week. There were women and men all around her, some drunk, others seemed to be hiding like her. She wandered down the alley looking for a red door that led to one of her old hideouts. It had been many years since she had come here and she had sworn she would never be back, but fate had intervened and now this was the only safe place for her.
She needed to find the door fast. She could sense someone or something was following her. The threat of danger radiated throughout her body. Jazmine searched the building walls, her cold hands slid across the coarse brick, her fingers searching for the entrance. She looked over and saw a woman stare at her as she slowly walked along the street. She could hear the woman's thoughts play over and over in her head. Jazmine hated that she could not quiet this tonight. The woman's energy poured into her body.
Jazmine was about to give up when her fingers grazed over a hard piece of metal sticking out of the wall. She looked over and saw the faint outline of a door, no longer red, camouflaged against the brick wall. Jazmine looked around to make sure no one saw her and disappeared into the safety of her old home.
Once on the other side of the door, she was able to relax. It was dark and dank inside the room. There was no light except for a sliver that shown through a covered-up window in the far corner. Jazmine needed no light to know where to go. The memory of this place came flooding back to her and she could see everything in her mind. She walked with a sixth sense to the back bedroom.
The dilapidated room had a twin bed mattress on the floor. She flopped down onto it, the musty smell of sweat wafting up, filling her nostrils. She didn’t care, her body was exhausted and she just needed to sleep. It had been days since she had stopped running. Jazmine lay on the mattress, her mind swimming, refusing to shut down. The last few days had been a blur and she needed to figure out her next steps. She tried to figure out how everything had turned so wrong, so quickly. As her mind replayed the events over the last several days, exhaustion eventually took over and she drifted off to sleep. Mom, Dad, I’m home.
********
When Jazmine finally opened her eyes, it was night. She had slept through the day, which was her life now. She was a creature of the darkness. She hid in the shadows and fed off the blood of others. This had not always been so, long ago she was a young girl, full of life. But she did not have time to think on those days right now. She had to find a place where no one would find her. The Lamia was coming for her and they would not stop until they succeeded in killing her.
She committed the one crime within their clan for which there was no forgiveness, and they were determined to make her pay with the ultimate price--her life. Jazmine surveyed her surroundings, memories trying to resurface as she calculated her next move.
Long ago, this had been her family home. Even though none her family survived, she could feel the sorrow and pain pulsate throughout the room. It settled deep in her bones and made her shiver. Her memories here were not of happy times. They were of sadness and anger. Her father had been a drunk and her mother had been weak and simple, and she despised her for it.
She had been the oldest of six children. She was their protector and did whatever she needed to keep them safe from their father's wrath. But it had not been enough, they were all gone now and nothing she could do would bring them back.
Jazmine felt her skin start to tingle and knew someone was close by. She could not stay here much longer. She needed to find a place that the Lamia did not know about, someplace far away. But where? She racked her thoughts trying to think of a location where they would not follow her. Then it struck her, she knew where she had to go. She also knew she needed to feed soon. She had been running for so long and she could feel her body getting weak from lack of blood. She hated to feed by herself, that was one of the reasons the Lamia, what Thane called his clan, was so intriguing to her.
In the beginning, she was young and naïve. Violet, the one who had changed her to what she is now, had introduced her to Thane, the leader of the Lamia. The moment she met him she was drawn to him. He was impressive to be around, handsome and alluring. Thane had a sexual energy coursing through him that captivated her. They had an instant chemistry, and he awoke within her desires that she had never experienced before. Yet, he had a dark side, a side that scared her. He was deadly and did not value human life as she did.
When John joined, she had found a companion who shared her same beliefs. They were kindred spirits and had found each other in this dark world. But the Lamia saw him as weak and felt he had no place with them. They tried to shun him from the group, but Jazmine would not allow it. When they came to take him she knew and she was ready for them.
That night, her life changed. She was no longer the hunter but the hunted. That night she took Thane’s life to save John’s. She knew by taking Thane’s life she had signed her own death wish. But she had to do it, he had tried to kill John, who was the only pure thing left in her life. She had broken the only rule of the group.
The pain she felt while watching Thane’s blood drain from his body as he lay in her arms was unbearable. Jazmine decided to take Thane’s limp body to a place where no one would find it. He’d only shared this place with her and she knew he would be grateful to be back. The small part of her that clung to human life wanted to return him home. She’d left his body on the cold, wet dirt in a field next to his family’s home.
Since that night she has been on the run from the Lamia. Luciana hated Jazmine from the moment she laid eyes on her and now she was their leader. Luciana had been Thane's chosen companion and when Jazmine arrived his attention for her waned.
He no longer favored her, instead, he spent his time with Jazmine. For that, Luciana vowed to get rid of her one day. She had tried to sway Thane’s attention back to her by planting seeds of deceit about Jazmine. Fortunately for Jazmine, her plan never succeeded. But now that Thane was gone, Luciana was able to turn the Lumia against her and she was out for blood.
Jazmine knew she needed to get moving again, but more importantly she needed to feast. She had heard of a place not far from her old family home where some rather questionable people hung out. If she was going to take a life, she would make sure it was someone who did not deserve to live anyway.
When she’d hunted with John, he had the ability to sense who was good and evil. She had the same ability, but for her it was less natural. She could read someone's mind, but to really know the person she needed to spend some time in their head. She hated it. It drained her emotionally and she was left with images she could never erase from her mind. John, on the other hand, could just read a person's soul.
As Jazmine glanced around the derelict room, images of her childhood flashed in her mind. She tried to shake the ghosts of her past as she left the safety of the space. The night sky was bright orange and red. A mist had rolled in leaving the air damp and thick. Jazmine headed south down the alleyway. Just a few blocks away there was a club, it would be the perfect place to eat if the things she had heard were true.
The alley was quiet, she
walked with determination, her senses heightened waiting for an attack at any moment. When she reached the entryway she knocked three times and the panel on the door opened, two stark, black eyes peered back at her. “What do you want?” the gruff voice called out, his eyes never leaving her face.
“Crimson,” was all she stated as she surveyed her surroundings. The gentleman closed the panel and Jazmine heard the door unlock and creak open.
She walked in past the man on the stool, not even giving him another glance. The hall leading to the club was dimly lit and dirty, the smell of sex hung in the air. There were people lined up along the walls, some just standing there talking, others making out and fondling each other.
Jazmine kept her eyes forward, making no eye contact. Her hood was up over her head to try and conceal her face. She was here for one reason. She scoured the room and saw a girl sitting alone at the bar. Jazmine sauntered over to her and sat on the stool next to her.
The girl did not glance over as Jazmine sat down. She looked rough, her hair was dyed bright red and she had tattoos along her neck and arms. She was staring at the glass of gin in front of her, still full. Jazmine said nothing for a minute, just taking in the girl’s thoughts. It did not take long for her to see what she needed to know.
"Long night?" Jazmine asked not expecting her to answer. The girl did not make a move. She sat motionless and continued to stare at her full drink.
Jazmine tried again. “Do you come here often?” she glanced over at her.
“Piss off,” the girl spat, she got up from her seat and walked away. Jazmine’s eyes followed her as she headed towards the women’s restroom. She looked around to see that no one was watching them. Taking her chance, she got up from her chair and pursued the girl.
When she walked inside the bathroom, she looked around and noticed there was no one else in there. Jazmine closed the door behind her and locked it. The girl was leaning against the sink, splashing water on her flushed face. She looked up when she heard the sound of the bolt locking.
“What the fuck!” seeing nothing in the mirror the girl started to turn her head back towards the sink. Before she could even start to move, Jazmine was behind her. She swooped down in one fluid movement; her fangs pressed into the soft, warm flesh of her neck. The girl struggled to break free of Jazmine’s grip, but it was no use. Jazmine drained her quickly and let her lifeless body drop to the ground. She licked the side of her lower lip to catch a stray drop.
She could feel the blood coursing through her body. The sensation of life flowing through her veins was erotic. She loved the feel it sent through her body, it turned her on and made her feel alive, strengthening her powers. Her ears perked up, someone was close and she could not waste any more time. Jazmine exited the bathroom leaving the girl there. She knew the cops would not be called to a place like this.
Jazmine pulled her hood back up and made her way out of the club. She headed back out into the night. She needed to get out of New Orleans, survival instinct took over and she knew where she needed to go next. She was taking a risk, but she had no other choice. There was only one place that scared Luciana and that was where she was headed.
Chapter Two
The sun had set when she arrived at the front gate of the old house. It was located deep within the woods in Arkansas. The only way anyone knew the home even existed was if they had been brought there before. Jazmine had not set foot on these grounds in over a hundred years. Being back, brought forth memories of a happier time. She could smell the scent of lilies blowing in the cool night air. There was a chill tonight that went straight to the bone. She shivered, not sure if it was from the wind or fear. She knew she was not welcome, but this was the only place that she could think to go.
Jazmine pushed past the dilapidated gate and walked up to the house. The front porch light was on, guiding her way. The house had not changed since she had left. It was a two-story home with a wrap-around porch in the front. It had an upper balcony that ran the length of the second story. Large windows framed the house on each floor. The white, double entry door stood out against the light blue color of the siding. There were red and white rose bushes surrounding the porch all in full bloom.
As Jazmine approached the porch, she glanced up to see a light in one of the bedroom windows flicker on. She stopped and looked up as a woman who looked to be in her late thirties opened a door to the balcony. Her body seemed to float out on to the porch. “Who is there?” she called, an apprehensive tone in her voice.
“My name is Jazmine, but you may remember me as Cecilia Young,” Jazmine replied, not sure if the woman knew of her.
“It has been a long time since you have been here, Cecilia. Why have you returned?” the woman asked still not giving her name or inviting her in.
"Yes, it has. I’ve come to speak to Celeste, if she is still your High Priestess. I'm in danger and need a safe place to stay," Jazmine knew she was taking a risk telling her this, but she also needed to be upfront and hide nothing. She needed the woman to trust her.
“We don’t help your kind,” she replied her voice cold and stern with a hint of disgust.
“I understand, but if I could just talk to Celest--” just then an imposing woman appeared on the lower front porch. Her hair flowed long and loose around her shoulders. The moonlight danced off the red coloring of her hair. She was tall and lean, almost regal-looking as she stood there motionless. Her gaze penetrated through Jazmine.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” was all Celeste said. She extended her hand for Jazmine indicating that she may enter. Jazmine accepted the invitation and walked up to the porch to meet her, placing her hand in Celeste’s. Celeste led her into the house.
The moment Jazmine stepped in the foyer; she felt a rush of security wash over her. Even though she knew she was not fully welcome here, she knew Celeste would not abandon her in her time of need. As she followed Celeste through the rooms to the parlor in the back, she noticed many of the women had gathered out of curiosity. She was sure that many of them had never seen a vampire up close and they were not going to miss the chance.
Celeste walked over to the settee located by the fireplace by the far side of the wall and sat down. She patted the space next to her and motioned for Jazmine to sit with her. Jazmine sat without hesitation as the room filled with the home’s inhabitants.
“So, Cecilia, you have returned. I sensed you were coming, but I’m not sure why you came back to a place where your kind is not welcome?” Celeste looked at Jazmine, her face emotionless.
“I go by Jazmine now. And I’ve come back here because I’m in danger…” she paused waiting for Celeste to speak. When she did not, she continued. “I’m being hunted for killing one of my own and I had nowhere else to turn. I was hoping that you let me seek solace here until I can figure out what to do next.” Jazmine said no more. She only told them what she felt they needed to know at this moment.
Celeste studied her face for a few minutes before speaking. “Your fight is not our concern and we have no loyalty to you. But I'm also not a cruel woman and I don’t believe you are truly like them. I've seen your heart; it was not your choice to be who you are. You have tried not to become a monster, feeding off others for your own pleasure," Celeste spoke, thoughtful of the words that came from her mouth. "I'll allow you to stay for the time being. But we'll not fight for you when the time comes. This is a path you must take alone."
Celeste beckoned a young lady that was standing in the back of the group. The woman walked over, stopping in front of Celeste. She whispered instructions into her ear and then the woman was gone. “I’ll have a room prepared for you. You can stay as long as you need, however, you’ll follow our rules while you reside with us.” Celeste gave Jazmine a steely look.
“Yes,” Jazmine replied knowing what was expected of her.
“Then, I’m sure you are rather tired from your long journey and would like to head to your room,” Celeste smiled at her. Jazmine could see the hint of t
he old friend she had once known in her eyes.
“Thank you, Celeste,” was all she could manage as exhaustion took over her body now that she knew she was in a safe place.
“And, when you are well rested I would like to speak with you more, we have a lot to catch up on,” Celeste stated as she rose from the couch and vanished like a poof of smoke from the room.
Chapter Three
When she entered the room, she was instantly transported back in time. This was the same room in which she had spent many nights when she was a young vampire. Celeste had found her on the streets of New Orleans, weak and on the verge of death. She had felt a sense of pity for her and could not allow her to die, even though she knew one less vampire in the world was a good thing. Something about Jazmine had been different. Celeste could never quite explain it, but she knew she could not let her perish. So, instead, she brought her back to the Coven, even if it meant breaking the rules.
At the time Celeste was a young high priestess, new to her powers. She was fearful that her actions would risk the safety of her women. But something inside of her told her that she needed to follow her destiny, and this young vampire in front of her was a piece of the puzzle. So, Celeste brought her to her home and nursed her back to health. She taught Jazmine about their beliefs and their view of the world. Jazmine was eager to learn everything she could. She was like a young infant; she saw the world in such a new way since the change.
She felt like a lens had been lifted, her senses were more acute, more attuned to the world around her. This is where she discovered that she had the ability to read others’ minds and could sense their emotions. Celeste helped her learn how to manage her new powers and also showed her how to keep others with similar abilities from reading her mind.
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